Friday, November 18, 2022

BLOOMED TO DIE, by Johnnie Alexander a Victorian Mansion Flower Shop Mysteries from AnniesFiction.com

Orcas Island, Washington, Present Day 

Imagine a wedding about to take place beside Old Cape Lighthouse on scenic Orcas Island. This Pacific Northwest location, adorned with gorgeous sun-kissed flowers, rested near the water’s edge. James Stratford, a wealthy and handsome groom, and Brooke Edgars, a lovely bride-to-be, were full of expectations and the promise of a long life together. Picture Perfect. Unfortunately, death can interrupt the grandest of plans and break hearts without a thought or care. 

Kaylee Bleu, owner of The Flower Patch and the official wedding florist, was the first person to find the body. Her handsome bow-tied dachshund, Bear, arrived beside the body first, but he suddenly showed terrible symptoms. Kaylee’s past as a plant taxonomist and forensic botanist at Seattle’s University of Washington has been helpful during investigations. This time her skills were needed to help her beloved Bear. And then to discover what the murderer didn’t want anyone to learn. 

This story is well written, with plenty of twists and turns. I loved trying to discover who the killer might be! The characters have depth and personality. They feel like friendly neighbors who fit in nicely with their small town, Turtle Cove. And who can win your heart, if not a dachshund named Bear? I highly recommend this series and this story which can be a stand-alone, yet why miss the fun of the rest of the adventures? Secrets, surprises, and a very satisfying ending. 

Each of these stories is approximately 200 pages, so they are quick reads that deliver a full cozy murder mystery experience—lacking nothing. I love details, and depth and I’m quite satisfied with Kaylee Bleu and her Petal Pushers garden club members and the other regulars of Turtle Cove. This is Book 2 from the VICTORIAN MANSION FLOWER SHOP MYSTERIES series published by Annie’s. I have the hardback cover version with a ribbon bookmark sewn into the binding. What a lovely gift these books can make. There is also an E-book version available. You may discover more about the publisher and their other series at AnniesFiction.com. 

QUESTIONS FOR JOHNNIE: 

I love to let my readers discover who the author is behind the wonderful story presented in the review. When did you first fall in love with writing? 

Though I dreamed of writing stories, and certainly made up quite a few, from the time I was a tyke, it wasn’t until I approached one of those milestone birthdays that I told myself, “It’s now or never!” Fear often nibbled at my heart, and a few more years passed before I received a contract for WHERE TREASURE HIDES, my debut novel. God’s promise, given to me during a private devotional time at a writers conference, to “set my feet in a spacious place” helped me to persevere during that time and during other low points in my journey. I trust Him with my writing path. 

Do you have a favorite occupation that you secretly dream of doing, represented by one of your characters in this story? The Flower Patch florist, the handyman, baker, police officer . . . 

I absolutely love this question because I told my sister only a few weeks ago that creating characters allows me to explore hobbies that I want to know about but not necessarily do! LOL! For example, I recently created a heroine who is a glass-blower and another who is a wildlife photographer who also judges documentaries for film festivals. Doesn’t that sound fun?! One of my favorite characters is Chaney Rose, a con artist with a conscience, who uses her grifting skills to save a racehorse from death in THE MISCHIEF THIEF (currently the first and only novel in the Rose & Thorne Series). I’m loathe to admit it (because, after all, I do believe in following the Ten Commandments), but I’d love to be on the Leverage team. (For those who may not know, Leverage is an older TV show featuring a mastermind, hacker, hitter, grifter, and thief who ran cons on the rich and powerful to get justice for those in need.) 

Since Orcas Island is a real place (https://www.visitsanjuans.com/orcas-island) have you ever had the pleasure of visiting there?

That is definitely a dream, though not one that has yet come true. I’m still on the tourist mailing list, though, so maybe someday! Since I can’t travel to all the settings that show up in my stories, I research trees, plants, sunrises and sunsets, and often add the town (if it’s not fictional) on my weather app. 

What is your favorite drink while writing? 

I have a Pepsi in my favorite insulated cup, decorated with many of my favorite verbs, words, and phrases on my desk right now. Here’s a sampling: wonder, try, hope, flip flops, cherish, play, running barefoot in the grass, dream, laugh, dance, staying up late, cherish, pray. 

What is the title of your next book in this series, and approximately when will it be published? 

All twenty-four books in the Victorian Mansion Flower Shop Mysteries series, published by Annie’s Fiction, have been written. I wrote #2, BLOOMED TO DIE and #8, PINE AND PUNISHMENT. The entire series can be found here: https://bit.ly/VMFSMSeries I’m currently writing a historical novella set in Crooksville, Ohio for Guideposts’ new Love’s a Mystery series. Each book contains a historical and a contemporary novella (written by two different authors). After that, I’ll be writing a few more novels for Annie’s Fiction while planning more Rose & Thorne stories. 

You can find the author, Johnnie Alexander at https://johnnie-alexander.com/